Exhausting Oneself in the Service to the Lord

This little 9-year-old totally captured my heart. Her dad is one of our new Cities4Life  on-fire volunteers. Since it was Columbus Day and his girl was off from school, he brought her to the abortion center sidewalks  to minister to the women who believe abortion is their only choice. This girl told me that when her dad picks her up from school, he always tells her about what happens on the sidewalk. She remembered one day when he arrived and said, “It was awesome!! Five women chose life for their babies.”

So Maddie joyfully accompanied her dad, eager to offer help to the women. She and her dad arrived at 10:00. She smiled and spoke cheerfully to everyone, an effervescent spirit of unselfconscious delight in being alive. While on occasion the post-abortive women give us the finger and angry words, most smiled at Maddie.

When our morning team left, our first new afternoon team arrived. Maddie told her Dad she didn’t want to leave. She stood beside me, looking eagerly at the cars as they entered and left the parking lot.

“OK Maddie,” I told her, “Do you want to try to offer them the pamphlet?”

“Yes!!!!”

I coached her on what to say and for the entire afternoon, little Maddie sprang into action if a car pulled down the driveway. She was there until our team decided it was time to pack up as the last abortive woman left. One woman had chosen life that we knew of. It was 3 pm. Maddie had not had lunch nor paused in her smiling enthusiasm. Her dad told me she didn’t want to leave at all, but since we all were leaving, he was able to convince her it was time to go home.

“Did you want to do this?” I asked her.

“Yes.” She nodded with her head bobbing up and down.

“Why?”

“Because even if they do it (the abortion), we are offering help.”

When I got home, I got a text from Maddie’s dad. He said, “She gave it her all.”  It was a photo of Maddie fast asleep in the car.

When was the last time you exhausted yourself completely to obey the call of God to help others? I know. Little Maddie really convicted my heart too.

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Colossians 3:23-24 

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Mark 10:45 

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”